ZCC warned to comply with the law

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Tuesday February 17, 2009 00:00

A recent meeting between the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Peter Siele and ZCC leader, Barnabas Lekganyane was held to warn the church to comply with the law, principal public relations officer in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Lebogang Bok has confirmed.

Sections 16 and 17 of the Societies Act requires churches to submit audited financial statements and accounts as a way of monitoring the operations of legal societies in Botswana.

'Regarding annual returns, our records indicate that the church has not been complying.

Following demand from the registrar, the church requested to have a meeting with the minister, hence necessary steps are being taken to ensure compliance by the church,' she said.  

Although she denied that the ZCC leader has been in frequent meetings with the minister, she confirmed that the January 27, 2009 meeting discussed matters related to compliance with Sections 16 and 17 of the Societies Act CAP 18:01 as well as to harmonise the constitution of the church with the societies act.

An anonymous member of the church alleged that there were several meetings held between the two men and that the ZCC was likely to be cancelled in Botswana for it to be registered properly, allegations which Bok dismissed. She said that the church file is not accessible to members of the public.

The ZCC in Gaborone and Tlokweng has recently been in conflict over who really is in charge. This resulted in a physical confrontation that prompted Kgosi Michael Gaborone to temporarily close the Tlokweng church a year or two ago.